It was our favourite place for a day out with our air guns, along there and at the back of the Beezer on the piece of land that was known to all the as The Ackers which then was just a wild piece of land.

Getting back to the topic at hand the last time I was on a canal barge was last year at the Black Country Living Museum when I took a trip in the Limestone Caverns that go under Dudley Hill.

Although as kids in the early 60's we were always told not to go down the canal, we couldn't resist it even though we were threatened with a belting if we did.

We managed a few times to hitch a ride on a barge that took trips up the Kings Norton Canal and though Waste Hills Tunnel. I think the barge used to be moored near the canal bridge at the bottom of Parsons Hill. The barge was red with windows all along the side for sight seeing (when not in the tunnel). The owner also served beer on the barge.

As we hung around the mouth of the tunnel we often chatted to people on the boats as they waited for boats to pass that were coming in the other direction from Hopwood. As this barge owner was a regular, he got to know us and eventually, on occasions allowed us on for a trip through the tunnel.

Above the entrance to the tunnel were two old Cottages built in the 1700's. Numbers 1 & 2 Tunnel Cottages, with the old stables for the horses still intact. Two children lived at Number 1 Tunnel Cottage, Tony and younger sister Janet. I cant remember their surnames though.

Although as kids in the early 60's we were always told not to go down the canal, we couldn't resist it even though we were threatened with a belting if we did.

We managed a few times to hitch a ride on a barge that took trips up the Kings Norton Canal and though Waste Hills Tunnel. I think the barge used to be moored near the canal bridge at the bottom of Parsons Hill. The barge was red with windows all along the side for sight seeing (when not in the tunnel). The owner also served beer on the barge.

As we hung around the mouth of the tunnel we often chatted to people on the boats as they waited for boats to pass that were coming in the other direction from Hopwood. As this barge owner was a regular, he got to know us and eventually, on occasions allowed us on for a trip through the tunnel.

Above the entrance to the tunnel were two old Cottages built in the 1700's. Numbers 1 & 2 Tunnel Cottages, with the old stables for the horses still intact. Two children lived at Number 1 Tunnel Cottage, Tony and younger sister Janet. I cant remember their surnames though.

Back in the late 70's the firm I worked for arranged "A Riverboat Shuffle " in the Black Country on a Friday night , beer was good , music was good all going well till one of my colleagues asked if I could make my way to the toilet !!!!! It was my wife who was heavily pregnant and huge in size could not manoeuvre in the toilet ,as in stuck . After what seemed like a hectic lifetime(about 15 mins) hse was out , we went back to our table , I don't think the rest of my drink touched the sides .

Roy I have know idea , I have an affinity with only one canal Gas St Basin that I fell in when I was about 8/9 MR Smith who lived in one of the cottages on the towpath said after I was going down for the third time . He saved my life , he pulled me out with the help of a boat hook . Ended up in The General having my stomach pumped

well this cut will take you to gas street your lucky most of the cuts in the 1960 was full of pollution if fact they was green all the factory's along the cut used just dump there waste in to the cut well this cut is by five ways broad street